A South African court has prevented the burial of Zambia’s former President Edgar Lungu, who died on June 5 while receiving medical treatment in South Africa.
The court ruling came just before the ceremony was due to be held on Wednesday, following a dispute between Lungu’s family and the Zambian government over the burial location.
The Zambian government, led by President Hakainde Hichilema, wants Lungu’s body to be brought back to Zambia for a state funeral, while Lungu’s family had planned to bury him in Johannesburg.
The court has given the Zambian government until July 4 to explain why it wants to repatriate Lungu’s body.
Lungu’s family has expressed concerns that Hichilema would not give him a dignified send-off, given their longstanding political rivalry.
The case highlights the tense relationship between the two leaders, with Lungu having been barred from running in next year’s presidential election due to a Constitutional Court ruling that he had already served two terms.
